PLEASURES OF ANGLING. 195 



played as money could command ; but they both 

 discarded them, after faithful and fatal trial, for 

 rods the counterpart of my own, with the most 

 satisfactory results. And yet there are those who 

 prefer the bamboo ; and some of the best anglers 

 of my acquaintance use no other. But all bamboo 

 rods are not alike any more than all rods of solid 

 woods. The handsomest rod I ever owned, of 

 foreign make at that, and which was pronounced 

 by all who ever examined it to be as good in qual- 

 ity as in looks, proved to be worthless. After 

 using my favorite rod, it was like casting with a 

 hoop-pole, and has taught me, what all men are 

 taught sooner or later, never to trust to appearances, 

 either in fishing-rods or men. 



